


Gold

by Rasberry_Honeybun



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Normal High School, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:09:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26536336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rasberry_Honeybun/pseuds/Rasberry_Honeybun
Summary: It started with an orange letter. It ended with a love no one could have predicted. Where grief stems, love will eventually take root. Luz and her mother leave behind their home in Minnesota to live with Luz's aunt Eda in the Boiling Isles after the tragic death of Luz's father. An attempt at happiness will bring far more than either Luz or her mother could have predicted, but are they ready for it?
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 13
Kudos: 103





	1. Chapter One

The letter was currently the brightest thing in the Noceda’s home. It’s ridiculously vibrant orange envelope sat innocuously on the table in front of Camilia. Luz reached for it. Camilia slapped her hand.

“Ow!” Luz rubbed her hand that didn’t even throb with pain. “Then just open it!”

Camilia pushed her glasses up as she rubbed her eyes. “It’s not that simple, _mija_.”

“How could it not be?” Luz muttered. She pushed her chair back from the table and headed for the stairs to go to her room.

Camilia watched her go. She poked at the orange envelope. Releasing a large sigh full of exhaustion, Camilia finally opened it.

_Noceda’s,_

_Look, I’ll keep it simple - for all our sake’s. Wesley wouldn’t have wanted you two to be alone. Come to the Boiling Isles. Stay at The Owl House for as long as you need. We’re family, Camilia, as much as you hate to admit it, and family needs to stick together. I know you’re worried about Luz, and I know how much she hates that school of hers. There’s a high school here that could really help her, Camilia. Search it up. Hexside Academy._

_I had Lilith pay for your tickets already. So no take backs!_

_We could all use some family. So come home, yeah?_

_Eda_

Simple and to the point. Just like Eda. Camilia laughed for the first time in a long time. After thoroughly searching up Hexside Academy, named because of the women that were housed for protection from persecution against accused witches, Camilia came to a decision. She would pack up her house brimming with grief and take Luz with her to live with their remaining family. As much as she hated to admit it.

⛤⛤⛤

“Really, really, really?” Luz was positively vibrating with excitement. “We get to live with Aunt Eda? At The Owl House? On the Boiling Isles? And I get to go to Hexside Academy? The only school still known to teach _magic_?”

“Not magic, _mi amor_ . Magic _theory_.” Camilia folded another of Luz’s shirts into her suitcase.

“Pshhaw, theory shmeory. Magic is magic, ma!” Luz flopped back on her bed. Her smile became tinged with sadness when she saw the stars her father had painted on her ceiling when she was seven. “So, we’re leaving Minnesota? Forever?”

Camilia stopped folding and sat beside her daughter. She ran her fingers through Luz’s short hair. “Do you want to stay?”

Luz shook her head slowly. She wiped at the corners of her glistening eyes as she murmured, “I don’t really want to go, either.”

“Oh, _mija_ ,” Camilia pulled Luz close to her chest. “I’ll tell you a secret. I don’t want to go either, but I think this might just be what’s best for us. This house is full of too much pain. Maybe seeing Eda and Lilith will bring back some happiness, huh? I know those two could really use some familiar faces.”

Luz sniffled into her mother’s chest. She nodded, still holding on tight. 

⛤⛤⛤

The plane ride was the longest Luz had ever sat still. Camilia wouldn’t say it aloud, but she was impressed with her daughter's restrainst. After getting off somewhere in the Caribbean, they boarded a boat headed south towards wherever the Boiling Isles was. Wesley never did tell Camilia exactly where his hometown was located. Camilia brushed off the morbid thought in favor of watching Luz bounce around the boat. 

Luz had never been on a boat before, let alone one that was in the _ocean_. She took the opportunity to sketch the waves and a small picture of her mother with her face towards the horizon and a soft smile on her lips. Luz sketched the way her mother’s shoulders lifted the farther they got from the home her father’s memory haunted. She felt her own spirit lift as well. The farther they were from Minnesota, the closer Luz felt to her father, somehow. The last connections she had to him were both on the Boiling Isles, and Luz’s smile grew with every step taken towards her father’s hometown.

The boat ride only took five hours. Luz lifted her backpack higher on her shoulders and rolled her suitcase behind her. Camilia rolled the last two large suitcases and followed Luz’s energetic steps towards the end of the dock. The orange 1972 Volkswagen Beetle sat with the windows rolled down at the very front of the parking lot. Eda pulled her bright red sunglasses off as she whipped her arms open for Luz. Luz shrieked and let go of her luggage as she ran at Eda full force. The older woman caught her and spun her around.

“Aw, ya miss me, kid?” Eda’s smirk was so wide her gold snaggletooth reflected the sun’s light.

“Of course I did!” Luz’s shout was somewhat smothered by Eda’s hair which Luz had buried her face in.

Eda’s smirk softened into a smile. “I missed you too, you little troublemaker.”

A bark came from Eda’s orange beetle. Luz gasped and pulled away from Eda to sprint to the small black terrier in the driver’s seat. “King, oh how could I forget about you my little precious _bebé._ ” King yipped and jumped from seat to seat as Luz opened the door. The dog attacked Luz with kisses of slobber and love. Luz giggled and collapsed into the back seat. “It’s good to be home.”

Camilia pulled the luggage forward and stood in front of Eda. The two women sized each other up. Camilia’s stern expression broke into a small smile as she pulled Eda into a gentle embrace. Eda clung back tightly. “Yes, it is.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introductions of characters is always my fav  
> I try to keep each chapter w roughly the same number of words, so this is another 900 word chapter  
> ~enjoy~

The drive was a quiet one. Luz found herself lulled to sleep by the sounds of the waves crashing against the cliffs and the soft swaying of the beetle being turned down paths that lead to The Owl House. King’s happy yips woke Luz from her dreamless sleep. The car was parked in front of a tilted three story shack painted an abundance of colors. The blue concrete tiled roof was worn from age and bird poop. The glass stained windows were gleaming despite the thick layer of dust. The white brick home had patches of moss growing near the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the front door.

“ _ Ay, dios mio _ , Eda. What happened here?” Camilia was hovering between pulling the suitcases out of the trunk and stealing the keys to drive back to the docks.

Eda’s chuckle was forced as she opened the rear car door and pulled King into her arms. She scrubbed a hand over his muzzle and shrugged. “The Empire. They’ve been trying to steal my business for years. I guess they finally managed to come up.”

Luz gently closed the car door and walked up towards the house. “There’s nothing you can do? I thought your birds were wanted by everyone?”

“Well, that’s just it,” Eda hopped over a hole in the staircase and pulled out her key. “Can’t really relocate birds when you haven’t got any.”

The door was opened to reveal . . . nothing. No  _ caw-caws _ , no feathers littering the floor, no cages, and certainly no birds. Luz scratched her head. Then gasped in horror and clutched her face. “No Hooty?!”

Eda placed King on the floor and closed the door behind Camilia. She opened her mouth to respond, but an ear piercing shriek filled the silent room. Eda’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, Hooty.”

The barn owl swooped down from the stairs to the second floor and landed on Luz’s head. The two shrieked at each other before Luz gently pulled the small owl off her head. His claws held onto her shoulder instead. He chirped as she stroked his little puft of light brown hair on his chest.

“The only one that wouldn’t leave, dammit.” Eda growled. Luz let the older woman hide her smile and instead made a face at the annoying bird. “The rest were picked up by different rescues I trust.”

“Luz,  _ mi amor _ , can you go unpack for me?”

“Sure,  _ mami _ .” Luz pulled her bags behind her as she walked up the stairs to her room on the second floor. 

Camilia waited until she heard the door close before turning to Eda. “Eda, what will you do now?”

Eda blew a raspberry and walked towards the kitchen. Camilia followed. She pulled open the refrigerator door and withheld the flinch that came when she saw nothing but microwave dinners. She pulled out the single carrot at the bottom and the nearly empty bottle of ranch.

“That’s a good question. Let me know when you’ve got an answer, yeah?” Eda slumped into the high backed green wooden chair in front of the counter. Her forehead made a  _ thump _ sound as it hit the counter’s surface. “I don’t  _ know _ . Lilith won’t stop calling. She says The Empire’ll take me and Hooty both.”

“That’s good!” Eda groaned. “That’s not good?”

“I have to give up The Owl House, Camilia. I can’t just take in random birds anymore. I have to do it “the right way”,” Her voice took on a posh edge. “ “To reacclimate the birds of prey, it must be done the right way. With forms no one will deign to look upon, and wealthy entrepreneurs that believe a falcon will look just  _ lavish _ in their sitting room.”

Camilia nodded along as she peeled and cut the carrot into smaller edible pieces. “And you don’t want that?”

“Eugh, God no. The Boiling Isles is an anomaly. We’ve got more birds of prey than all the world’s habitats put together. We’re on an island south of the equator that feels like it’s from somewhere in Canada. We’ve got a mountain with  _ snow _ . This island isn’t full of weird shit for nothing!”

“Oooh, Tia Eda said a bad wooord.” Luz singsonged. Hooty chirped four times in quick succession. King barked at the bird and curled up on his fluffy bed near the door to the bathroom on Eda’s left. 

“Kid, you’re gonna be eighteen in a month. At this point, I should be able to say fu-”

“Edalyn Clawthorne!” Lilith’s voice boomed from the front door. Camilia lowered her eyes to the carrot. Luz winced and sat next to Eda. Lilith glided into the room with her black Louis Vuitton handbag in the crook of her left arm. Her immaculate appearance seemed out of place in the deteriorating house. “What is it you were just about to say?”

“Uh,” Eda’s mouth gaped open before clicking shut. “Fuck.”

“Edalyn!” Lilith pulled out a stack of paper from her bag and rolled it up to whack Eda over her head. “NO!”

Eda ducked and moved behind Camilia who was pulling out a plate to put the chopped carrot and a side of ranch on. “She’s seventeen, not seven!”

“She is a  _ child _ .” Lilith was too mature to chase her sister around the kitchen. She sat in Eda’s vacated seat and pulled Luz into a gentle embrace. Luz snorted and clung back. Eda inched around the counter to sit in the seat on Luz’s right. Lilith whacked her over the head with the paper. Eda squawked. Eda stuck her tongue out at Lilith. “ _ Child _ .”

Camilia popped a carrot into her mouth. “Good to be home.”

Luz dipped her carrot in ranch and crunched on it happily. “Ten bucks says Hooty ruins Lilith’s hair.”

“You’re on.” Camilia smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd y'all like Lilith? Isn't she a . . . . . . . hoot?  
> HA I am so sorry HA  
> Question for y'all - should I keep Amity's hair as it is in the show, dyed green w her roots showing, or keep it her natural brown? Keep in mind whatever changes are made to Amity will also be applied to Emira and Edric, and it is a human AU after all. All comments and kudos very much appreciated!  
> Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter~  
> 


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry y'all! University's really kicking my ass, but I pulled through with another small chapter. Hope y'all enjoy!

“Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease,” Luz inhaled deeply. “Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-”

“Fine!” Eda and Lilith shouted.

Camilia slipped Luz five dollars behind the two sister’s backs. “ _Muy bueno!_ Let’s go now, before all the stores close up. We’ll follow Lilith’s car.”

Camilia herded Luz and Lilith out the door while Eda strapped King into his harness and leash. Hooty hooted goodbye and soon enough they were on the road to the mall.

Luz poked her head out the window to watch the storefronts appear in the distance. The car rolled down a hill and Luz squealed when she finally caught sight of the very distant pop up shops. The Boiling Isles was home to no Target’s, no Old Navy’s, and definitely no Starbucks, but instead their mall consisted of family run businesses. Luz compared it to a gigantic yard sale in her head. 

They parked the cars off to the side near the makeshift parking lot and hopped out. Eda grumpily put her bright red sunglasses back on and Lilith followed suit with sparkly silver sunglasses. Luz made to run towards the nearest shop full of what looked like tons of typewriters, but Camilia caught the hood of her purple jacket and pulled her back.

“Here’s your list. I made it in the car. Get _only what’s on the list_.” Camilia pulled a forty out of her purse. Luz’s lower lip wobbled and her eyes began shimmering with unshed tears. Camilia sighed and pulled out an extra twenty. “Go, before I take it back.”

Luz hugged her mother then tried to run again. Eda pulled her back by her hood. Luz’s shoulders slumped. “ _Whaaat noow_?”

“Well, I was gonna give you King to walk, but if you wanna go so badly-”

“Give me the little _bebé_!” Eda plopped the leash in Luz’s hands.

The three women watched Luz jog away before Camilia turned to them both. “I am not living in your pigsty, Eda. We need cleaning supplies, stat.”

Eda’s puppy dog eyes had nothing on Luz’s, and Eda knew it, but it was still worth a try. “C’mon, my pigsty has character.”

Camilia’s eyebrow arched so beautifically, even Lilith cowered. “Character?”

Eda’s shoulders drooped. “Alright, alright. Let’s go find a mop.”

⛤⛤⛤

“C’mon King, we’ve gotta find lettuce, tomatoes, spearmint, basil-” Luz was so busy reading her list she didn’t notice another girl running straight towards her. “Oh shi-”

The two collided head first. Luz’s list flew in the air, and the other girl’s potted plant wobbled precariously in her arms. Luz shouted as she reached out to balance it. The girl’s face flared a bright red as she stammered, “T-Thank you.”

“No problem! Uh, what’s the rush?” Luz plucked her list from off the floor and looked up at the shorter girl. She was covered in dirt and the knees of her grey leggings were stained green. Her black hair was cut in a bob, and there were twigs sticking out of it. Her round glasses had a smudge on the left eye’s glass. Luz had never seen someone that perfectly represented what she thought a greenhouse would look like.

“Oh!” The Asian girl’s eyes widened to saucers. “I’m late!”

Luz nodded her head. “I, uh, gathered that. Yeah.”

“Sorry, where are my manners? I’m Willow.” Willow tried to hold her hand out but her potted plant was in the way. “Sorry, I’ve really got to run. Thanks for, uh, helping me with my plant.”

“No problem.” Luz wanted to smack her head for repeating herself. Willow smiled, though, and resumed her mad dash in the opposite direction.

Luz resumed her walk towards the farmer’s portion of the market. Her arms were laden with bags by the time she found the last vegetable on her list. She strolled through the market in a lazy attempt to find her mother and aunts. A gathering of people around a small stage caught her attention.

An older man was standing on the stage proudly with his hands clasped behind his back. He wore a long purple coat and a grey charcoal suit that was a size too big. What was left of his gray hair was brushed back to reveal bright wide blue eyes. Luz’s curiosity was immediately piqued. 

“Come, come! Gather ‘round. Get a look at this year’s astounding Show of Talent!” A short boy with black curly hair bounced around the stage with a mic in his hand. “Welcome everybody! This is Hexside Academy’s two hundredth and two Show of Talent! We have contestants from all branches of this high school putting on the performance of their life. We’ve got singing, dancing, planting, fire throwing, dagger ducking, monologuing, you name it, ladies and gents, and you’ll see it! Now, let’s give a round of applause for the esteemed Principal of Hexside Academy - Mr. Hieronymus Bump!”

Luz clapped her hands with the crowd as the older man took the mic from the younger boy. “Wasn’t that a wonderful introduction? I must thank the young Mr. Gus Porter for volunteering to host this year’s Show of Talent.”

Gus reddened at the compliment and gave an awkward bow. There were little pockets of laughter in the crowd before Principal Bump cleared his throat. “Welcome to Hexside Academy’s two hundredth and two Show of Talent. As many of you know, Hexside Academy was founded nearly three hundred years ago. Our school was originally taught at a small home with merely three pupils. These three young women were accused of witchcraft in the States, and fled persecution. They ended up here, on The Boiling Isles, where all outcasts go. Hexside Academy was named so in spite of the men that accused our first pupil, Poppy, of casting hexes on unsuspecting animals. Before Poppy’s death, she started the very first Show of Talent. To bring all Boiling Isles inhabitants together in a show of solidarity! For we are outcasts, but who is truly the strangest of us all?”

Luz caught sight of Eda’s bright gray hair, though she would never say so aloud, from her spot on the other side of the crowd. She pulled King into her arms before ducking between the array of carts and people crammed together until she was squished between her mother and Lilith. King licked at Lilith’s elbow. He didn’t stop until Lilith raised a reluctant hand to scratch between his ears. Luz missed Principal Bump’s parting words, and startled at the sound of applause. Gus had the mic back in his hands and was smiling big and bright.

“Boiling Isles! Are you ready for some magic?” The crowd went absolutely wild. Luz swore she saw a very short girl with bright orange hair fling a cart over. “Well, give it up for our first contestant, Skara!”

Gus hopped off the small stage as a girl with a terrifyingly bright red leather jacket and black ripped jeans pulled an electric guitar out of seemingly nowhere. Her curly silver hair was pulled into a tight ponytail that revealed an undercut with a zig zag design. Her big black boots clonked heavily on the wooden stage. The crowd oohed and aahed when she struck her first cord. 

A mic lowered onto the stage. Eda grabbed King and covered his little ears. Lilith gave Luz a stick with cotton candy woven on it. Camilia’s eyes widened with every passing second. Skara’s intense electric guitar made Luz’s ear’s bleed. Luz loved absolutely every second of it.


	4. Chapter Four

Four other contestants had taken the stage after Skara. Boscha, a blue eyed girl with flamboyant pink hair in a bright yellow sundress had thrown “potions” together and created colorful creatures, shapes, and flowers out of smoke that rose from the bottles smashed together. A pair of twins by the name Emira and Edric held a show with mirrors, shadows, and confetti. It caused almost every person in the crowd to jump multiple times in fright. Then a boy named  Mattholomule had carved an  _ almost _ perfect rendition of Hexside Academy out of wood. When Gus took the stage again his hip hit the table on which the wooden building stood, and it fell flat to reveal holes made of foam. Principal Bump had the brown haired boy disqualified.

Gus’ grin seemed to spread across his whole face as he shushed the crowd for the next contestant. “Now, ladies and gents, let’s not forget! There are still two more contestants. Let’s give a warm round of applause for the wondrous Willow!”

Luz perked up as she recognized the girl that bumped into her earlier. Her plant was nowhere to be seen, and she was in a completely different outfit that held not a speck of dirt. The woolen dark green dress she wore stopped at her knees to show off another set of grey leggings, this time striped. Her black flats were shiny and clicked on the wooden stage. She pushed her round glasses up her nose before they slipped off, and gave the crowd a wobbly smile. Luz cheered the loudest. Willow caught her eyes and gave a slightly more confident smile. She shook the nerves off her shoulders and cleared her throat. The crowd quieted. 

She held her previously clenched hand out to reveal a small seed. Boscha snorted from her spot to the left of the stage, and Mattholomule joined her snickering. Willow’s eyes glinted with something akin to amusement. She threw the seed into the air and shot her arm down to grab a glass cup that had gone unnoticed by the crowd. She held it above her head and the seed landed in the glass cup with a soft  _ plop _ . A fizzling came from the cup before big green vines burst from it’s tiny mouth. The crowd gasped. Willow’s small frame was engulfed with the vibrant vines.

“Is she still under all that?” One person from the crowd whispered in the absolutely silent crowd.

A single bud began to form from the top of the vines. It grew and grew before uncurling to reveal Willow sitting on a perfectly pink rose. The crowd . . . lost it’s shit. Luz included.

“Oh my g- Did you see that?!” She screamed into Lilith’s ear as she shook her mother’s shoulders. 

Lilith pulled her sparkly silver sunglasses off. Her lips twitched into a small smile. “Almighty christ, I think I did.”

It took another few minutes for the crowd to quiet down, but there were still excited murmurs running through everyone. Gus walked around the vines and held his hand out for Willow. She took it and gently dropped onto the stage. He whispered something in her ear as he handed her a pair of shears, and her smile stretched across her face to reveal two adorable dimples. Willow held the shears up to the rose and snipped it at the core, and the vines fell away like water. She pulled them into her arms and dragged them off the stage to stand with the other contestants. The twins immediately rushed to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

Gus stood on the stage once more. He sucked in a breath to speak, then just sighed into the mic. “Now I don’t know about you, but I am just - stunned. Give another round of applause for the absolutely  _ wonderful _ Miss Willow!” 

The crowd cheered and Luz’s screech was almost deafening. Gus smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes like it had when he announced Willow. “That sure was something, folks! Now, for our last contestant, Amity!”

If the crowd had gone crazy for Willow, it went absolutely  _ insane _ for this Amity. Luz craned her neck to see a delicate looking girl take the stage. Her brown hair was long and elegant, and there was a clip holding it back to reveal her face. She was pale, tall, willowy, and frankly, kind of intimidating. She held a blank expression as she walked up the stage, pulling up the front of her long mauve skirt to keep from tripping. Her brown boots gave her an extra inch in height, and she seemed to almost loom over the crowd. She pushed the sleeves of her black shirt up her elbows before turning to the crowd. 

“I need a volunteer,” The crowd muttered with apprehension. “No takers? Fine.” Her eyes scanned the people in front of her. Calculating. Cold. They landed right on Luz. Amity pointed her finger with it’s perfect black manicure straight at her. “You. Come up here.”

Luz gulped as she tripped over her feet in her haste to join Amity on the stage. Her heart pounded in her ears. She wiped her sweaty palms on her blue jeans. Luz cleared her throat and gave Amity a wonky smile. “H-Hi. What am I doing?”

Amity put her hands on Luz’s shoulders and guided her to the edge of the stage. The scent of her lavender perfume assaulted Luz’s nose. Amity gave Luz a wilting glare. She pulled up the hood of Luz’s sweater and grabbed the cat ears to point up in the air. “Stay.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Luz squeaked. 

Amity walked to the back of the stage. She pulled out a tray of daggers. Luz opened her mouth to scream. Amity whipped her arm out in one long stroke. Luz’s scream rang in the dead silent audience. 

“I’m dead. Oh god I’m dead.” Luz’s eyes were squeezed shut and her shoulders were pulled up to her ears.

“You’re not dead.” Amity walked over and turned her around. Luz opened her eyes. The daggers had stuck to the wall all the way across the small courtyard in the shape of Luz’s body. It even included the outline of her sweater’s little cat ears. Luz’s jaw dropped. Along with her body as she fell back onto the stage and passed out.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments appreciated!  
> Much love,  
> Rasberry_Honeybun <3


End file.
